Money matters: Why financial literacy counts in high school

(NewsUSA) - Alongside English and math, high school students need more classes in financial literacy and managing their money. It's never too early to start learning how to manage finances.

Otherwise, teens embark on the college journey without knowing how to avoid debt, opt out of high interest rates or dodge exorbitant fees. Some students actually expect to face these types of financial hurdles because they don't know any other way.

"We need to ensure students entering college are given the right financial literacy education, tools and support to make sound financial decisions while in college and beyond," said Mary Johnson, Director, Financial Literacy and Student Aid Policy at Higher One.

According to the survey of 40,000 first-year college students, 28.2 percent have a credit card, and 23.7 percent have more than $1,000 in debt. While it's not surprising that more than 79 percent of students surveyed worry about debt, some other spending behaviors are alarming. Such as, 60 percent find it okay to incur an overdraft fee if they can pay it off later.